Combined welding head and flux hopper for continuous welding



Jan 19, 1954 G. G. L ANDls E'rAl.

COMBINED WELDING HEAD AND FLUX HOPPER FOR CONTINUOUS WELDING Original Filed May 22. 1947 INVENTORS GEORGE @LAND/S @No NOE/*IAN J .HOE/VIE Arron/5x5 Patented Jan. 19, 1954 COMBINED WELDING HEAD AND FLUX HOPPER `FOR yCONTINUOUS WELDING George G. Landis, South Euclid, and Norman J. Hoene, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to The Lincoln Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Original application May 22, 1947, Serial No. 749,780, now Patent No. 2,536,294, dated January 2, 1951. ,Divided and this application October 22, 1949, Serial No. 123,046

3 Claims. 1

Certain improvements, moreA particularly relating to a method of arc welding by lmeans of a continuously fed, small diameter weld rod or wire of indennite length are disclosedin our Patent No. 2,444,834, dated July 6, 1948, and the present weldrod feeding mechanism forms one feature of an improved apparatus for carrying out such method disclosed in our pending application filed May 22, 1947, Serial No. '149,780' (now Patent No. 2,536,294, dated January 2, 1951) of which the present application is a division.

The present invention contemplates and has for its principal object an improved form of welding tool which is in effect merely a terminal portion of the conductor through `which rthe weld rod or wire is directly guided tol the work, such tool being adapted for convenientmanual operation.

In accordance with the present invention, arcwelding apparatus is provided wherein a metallic electrode in theform of a Wireisfed continuously toward a workpiece como-rising, in combination, means for feeding the electrode from an electrode source toward the workpiece, including a terminal fitting in electrical contact with the electrode,

means for electrically energizing the fitting and a Eux-discharge nozzle attached to and surrounding the fitting, the nozrleV being electrically insulated from and extending beyond said fitting,

The annexed vdrawing and the following dea workpiece;

Fig. 3 is similarly partially a central sectional view and partially a iside elevation of the ends of member illustrating an embodiment of the inven-` tion which includes an attachment whereby granular iiuxing material may be supplied tothe,

work-piece at `the point of welding;

Referring to the illustrative apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the weld rod or wirefW is shown as being drawn from a reel I by means of gripping rolls 2 in conventional manner, only one of which appears in said figure. However, as'more fully set forth in our above-identified patent, in our improved method or process the weld rod or wire employed is of relatively small diameter, e. g. Bg inch to 5,@4 inch, and comparatively high rates oi feed are required, e. g. approximately 300 inches per minute for such fs inch D. wire and only slightly less for the /64v inch D. wire. Gripping rolls 2 are driven by motor 3 through a reduction and change speed gear box 4 whereby the rate of feed of the weld rod or wire W may beset, as indicated, for each of the several sizes or diameters of wire with which the apparatus is designed to be employed. Furthermore, the current employed is of such value in relation to the cross-sectional area of the weld rodor wire as to cause an arc to be established by reason of the substantially instantaneous fusion of the end of such rod whenever such end comes in contact with the workpiece.

Current is supplied to the field of' motor 3 through leads 5, from a source of current independent of the welding current, e. g. iroman ordinary 12,0 v. power line. The welding current may likewise be taken from any suitablel source, e. g. from the terminals 6 and l of a welding machine (not shown), which will be provided with the usual means for varying the voltage and amperage of the current, as may be found desir able for any particular operation. However,` it is not contemplated nor necessaryH that any changes in the setting of such machinegor in other words of the weldingV current, will require to be made during the welding operation, or in fact for any-given set-unil.. e. any operation in Cil positive terminal 6, is connected by means of a lead 8 with the workpiece W', while the other, negative, terminal I is connected by means of a lead 9 with the conductor which forms a part of a flexible tubular guide T, as will be presently described.

Operation of' the motor 3 is tied in with the welding operation by a series relay I which is operated by the welding current through the electrode lead 9 to close a switch II in one of the armature leads I2. .In addition to this relay there is included in such armature lead a push button switch I3 which is adapted to connect the latter through a resistor I4. This last-mentioned switch is used to operate the motor to feed the wire manually when not welding, for example in initially threading the wire through the tubular guide T. An adjustable resistor R will also be desirably included in the other such armature lead I2, to permit the armature current to be set as desired.

As previously indicated, the flexible tubular guide T is preferably. although not necessarily, composed of sections, one of such sections being illustrated in Fig. 2. As there shown, the main guide element or liner I5, through which the weld rod or wire W directly passes when being fed to the work, consists of a laterally flexible, helically wound spring of hardened steel wire or equivalent wear-resisting material, the coils of which closely contact so as to maintain the tube walls closed despite any bending to which the tube may be subjected. Immediately surrounding, and in close electrical as well as physical contact with such inner tube I5, is a conductor sheath I6 formed of multi-stranded fine copper wire assembled and twisted about said inner tube, much as are the component strands in a wire cable. Conductor IB is in turn surrounded with a heavy sheath I1 of rubber or equivalent flexible insulating material.

We have found that in a guide tube constructed as described, where the resistance of-the liner I will greatly exceed that of the conductor sheath ylli (the latter may have a conductance several hundred times greater than the former) it becomes unnecessary to insulate the one from the other; in other words such sheath can directly contact such liner, without any consequential diversion of current thereto onto the wire, which in turn contacts with such liner. As a result the welding current is substantially entirely carried by the sheath to the terminal fitting (described later), where it enters the wire just before it emerges from the tubular guide.

From the foregoing it will be seen that not only has the construction of such guide been greatly simplied, but by eliminating the extra insulation, the handling of the guide is facilitated by reason of its increased lightness and flexibility.

It will be understood that the guide may consist of a single length of tube constructed otherwise as just described. Where a sectional construction the length of individual sections will be determined primarily by convenience in handling and storage, since by coupling together a suitable number thereof a guide of any required overall length may be provided. For the purpose of thus coupling the sections together, each thereof is provided at its one end with a. male coupling .75 presentapparatus inl the way of a welding tool.

member 20 and at the other with a complementary female coupling member 2I. Each of said coupling members will be formed of highly conductive metal such as copper or brass, so as to constitute in effect a continuation of the conductor I6 that surrounds the flexible inner tube I5 of the guide. To insure effective electrical contact with the latter, the body of coupling member'ZI) is formed with a tubular extension 22 of reduced diameter and the body of coupling member 2| with a similar extension 23 that is adapted to receive in close surrounding relation the corresponding end portion of conductor I6, which will thus be bound, and preferably also brazed, thereto. At the same time the bores 24 and 25 of said tubular extensions are adapted to receive in tight fitting relation the corresponding ends of the inner flexible tube I5, which are similarly brazed thereto.

It will be noted that each end portion of conductor I6 not only fits over-the corresponding tubular extension 22 of the corresponding coupling body, but also is enlarged so as to abut against the surrounding face of such body, whereby an adequate electrical connection is assured.

Coupling member 20 is provided with an oppositely directed heavier tubular extension 26, the bore 21 of which is of substantially equal diameter to that of said tubular member I5; while tubular member 2| is provided with a corresponding sleeve-like extension 28 which is longitudinally split and adapted to ft over and frictionally engage extension 26 of member 20. Said sleevelike extension is further provided withan inwardly directed lug 29 that is adapted to. interlock with an annular recess -30 adjacent the end of extension 26 on member 20, the outer wall of such recess being cut away at one point 3| to permit such engagement upon properly aligning the two coupling members and then turning one relatively to the other.

Each coupling member also respectively includes cylindrical shells 32 and 33 of insulating material which are firmly secured to the body portions of said `members and overlie the corresponding ends of the flexible insulating layer I1 that surrounds conductor. member I6. In vthe case ofsaid insulatingshell 33, it also projects in the opposite direction so as entirely to enclose the split. sleeve extension 23 thereof. Accordingly, as illustrated in Fig. .3, when the complementary coupling members of two sections T of the flexible tubular guide are brought into proper end relation and interlocked by rotating the one relatively to the other, the respective insulating sleeves 32 and 33 will be brought into close, abutting relation and together with the flexible insulating layer I'I provide continuous insulation for the assembled sectionalguide. l Y

While `the end of suchfgu'ide to which the weld rod or wire'W'is fed by means of gripping rolls 2'may be permanently attached to the feed mechanism previously described, the exit end of the guide tube 2a associated with such rolls will preferably take the form of a female coupling 2|, as described above, so that the flexible tubular guide may be entirely detached when desired. `In any event, the outer end of the flexible tubular guide, irrespective of whether it comprises one or a plurality. of sections, willvbe equipped withV such female coupling member, in order to receive the terminal fitting illustrated in Fig. 6, which constitutes all that is required in the case of the ene enact of? tvriteir is e] being provided with ignartriea intermediate point' to receive'a-tl'irea ofinsulat'ing' material. `The"latter'lfias a een extensin 39 that is adapted when-"heette" place on' oec35 to closely fitthe 'c al e` K sion'36 of said core but project ther extremity' being {pret/idee with l' en bis aligned with the'bre-4I'-f the' core. site end of the ntter ispretidei with css 42 which has/'afport/in of ritsuti wall away at point 43 and otherwise corresponds with the bdy'at f naieceupiig inertie-m0,

'Accordingly the fitting vjust"described'-inetyjas stated, be receivedA4 intoafii'iaieinel brfi'l 'at the-end of any' section f thev ducto arid upon rtative movement `'will loe-firmly 'sec ed ther o.

vFrom the foregoing des'riptiiiit'will jble'l's that; irrespective `f the number' f nexibleftiibu'f lar' guide sxec`tiris` employed, the 'inne "the l5 thereof'will be aligned throughout f y` 21 in the male coupling members2)V and" the bore 4lin the terminal tting lastr'clesc bed. Also the'cnductr member l6"vill be con 1iously` connected throughout `the leiigth'f `V 'the guilde throughsuch coupling members and nally with the core of the terminal fitting. It has been found that no special provision for effecting electrical contact between 'such core and the weld rod or wire being fed through theV guide is necessary, since such wire as drawn from the reel and fed through the guide will be necessarily rundulated sufiiciently to 4press `against said core 35jat`a sunicient number of points toinsure the free now of current to its extremity where the latter projects beyond the terminal fitting.

At the same time the construction and-manner of coupling together thersections of the flexible tubular guide insure the exterior insulation thereof,` no current-carrying element being exposed at any point throughout the length offthe guide. Indeed the insulating shell 38 on the terminal fitting insures that the only live wire is the projecting end of the weld rod or welding wire itself.

In accordance with the invention, Fig. '7 shows a terminal member designed to deposit a layer of fluxing material along the line to be welded. To this end, in place of a terminal tting comprising simply a tubular core as illustrated in Fig. 6, such fitting comprises a core of substantially the same construction and adapted to be connected in the same fashion to a male coupling member 20 of a flexible tube section; however, said core, instead of having a conical extension, carries an arcuately curved, rigid tube 45 which is tted at its outer end with a straight nozzle 41. Either an extension or a separate section 48 of a flexible coil similar to coil I5 employed in the flexible guide sections T extends from member 45 to member 41 and provides the conduit through which the weld rod or wire W is guided to its point of emergence beyond said member 41.

Attached to said core member 45 is a light weight receptacle or hopper 49 of general conical form, the point of attachment being intermediate of the ends of said receptacle. At such point the curved wire guide member 46 enters the receptacle and thence extends downwardly so that the nozzle member 41 will be disposed centrally within the opening 50 at the lower end of the receptacle. As a result of the arcuate curvature of the guide member 46 and straight nozzle 41, not only is adequate electrical contact with the 'geteste y Ycled 'to the' upper larger 'tecle and" is Vprovidedv with" a snap coverimay'b retained in iti'o irrespective fltl position of the' acl.

ri `l`rneinbe`1", assuming the th 'iid Of a' iflexiblel tub`l1- ep'tacle4- is lld with u'xin'g" material land ion illustrated infFig. '1 -ree to flow through openr'b 41I arid thus enable a layer of such flux along' simultaneously with the "r purpose of maniputfscr'ibeda sleeve sa that videsa convenient handle. v 'rupt the welding operation, theaic being rok in the manner above described; tlirctacle w'ithout'requiring to'be' at detached, may'bsimpi inverted and rested on its larger end whichl sd bycver 55. Then up "ope on the position of the receptacle with the-terminer member to which it ,x i eats: siratiiyagainretersed to that shown 3o f 'ien ef cur "improved y arc-welding entirety 'may' 'nowf be briefly setr proper penetration of 'Thus, in 'the'caseof rrentf from 150 to 350 io ent'ffifimZOOfto olainperes, penetration of from 1*; to 1A; in f e secured.A The vwire fdf ineehaiis' `T then set` to feed the wire at theiprpe rete-through thenexib'le tubular guide, and no subsequent adjustment of such feed rolls 45 while operating under the conditions thus established will be required. Immediately upon striking the arc by contacting the end of the wire projecting beyond the welding tool with the workpiece, the wire feed is set in motion at such pre- 50 determined rate and the end of the wire which is thus kept, advancing beyond the tool is melted down to form the usual bead. The arc is struck and preferably kept submerged under a relatively deep layer of granular ilux, which at the same time as the bead is formed will be at least in part rendered molten and provide a protective covering for the highly heated weld metal. In order to interrupt the operation, it is merely necessary to break the arc by withdrawing the tool from the im workpiece with a quick movement exceeding in speed the advancing movement of the wire. Or, by stopping the motor, the wire will automatically melt back to a point where the arc will no longer be sustained.

The simplicity of the foregoing operation will be obvious. At the same time, the manipulation of the weld rod through the medium of the tubular flexible guide T and the terminal fitting thereon which takes the place of the unwieldy TU weld tool heretofore in use is equally simple and convenient. The operator merely has to take hold of such terminal fitting, or rather of the insulated coupling member 20 adjacent thereto, and move such fitting, with the end of the wire protruding therefrom, along the line to be welded.

-f-It-Vwillthus .be seenthat inconiunction with the iiexible guide tube the specially designed fitting and associated hopper just described constitute a complete self-contained welding tool or gun which is ready for instant use by simply picking it up and striking an arc between the end of the electrode, that projects through the nozzle member 41, and the work-piece. Simultaneously the ux contained within the hopper will iiow by gravity around the electrode and onto the seam being welded. Interruption ofV the welding operation is just asconveniently accomplished, and while the operation is thusY interrupted if desired the body of flux within the hopper can be replenished by opening the cover at its larger end and by a simple scooping movement the hopper can be entirely iilled from an adjacent source of supply such as a box or bin.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be `employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the Imechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point yout and vdistinctly claim as our invention:

1. In quasi portable arc Welding apparatus, wherein a metallic electrode in the form of a wire is fed continuously to the work, the combination of electrode feeding means, a flexible tube adapted to receive an electrode from said feeding means and guide the same to the Work, a welding current lead, a portable Welding head including a terminal fitting for said tube electrically connected with said lead and adapted to provide electrical contact with such electrode as it passes through said ttingand a `iiui: hopper carried by but electrically insulated from said fitting, said hopper having a iiux discharge passage having a lower end, and said fitting being disposed in and terminating short of such end. y

2. In arc-welding apparatus wherein a metallic electrode in the form of a wire is fed continuously to the work, the combination of electrodefeeding means, a portable welding head and a flexible tube adapted to receive an electrode from said feeding means and guide the same to the workpiece, said head including a terminal fitting for said tube adapted to be electrically connected with a power source and adapted to provide electrical contact with such electrode as it passes through said tting and a iiux hopper electrically insulated from said fitting. said hopper having a flux-discharge passage having a lower end, and said fitting terminating short of and within such end.

3. In arc-welding apparatus wherein a metallic electrode in the form of a wire is fed continuously to the work, the combination of electrode-feeding means, a iiexible tube adapted to receive an electrode from said feeding means and guide the same to the work, a terminal tting for said tube, means for electrically energizing said fitting, said tting being adapted to provide electrical contact with such electrode as it passes through said iittingl and a flux-discharge nozzle carried by but electrically insulated from said fitting, said nozzle having a lower end, and said fitting terminating short of and within such end.

GEORGE G. LANDIs. NORMAN J. HOENIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,707,433 Hand Apr. 2, 1929 1,953,915 Burgett et a1 Apr. 3, 1934 2,336,732 Howard Dec. 14, 1943 2,375,656 Jackson May 8, 1945 2,478,525 Cutrer Aug. 9, 1949 2,510,204 Baird June 6, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 394,773 Great Britain July 6, 1933 

